The Public Library Board Certification program is designed to:
- Improve board effectiveness
- Increase board involvement
- Improve library service
- Fulfill library accreditation requirements
Each Nebraska public library board of trustees must participate,
collectively, in twenty hours of continuing education (CE) during each three-year
certification period.
Library board members can earn CE credits in any of the ways listed on this page.
Report CE participation within ninety days of the event or activity. There
is no cost for certification.
To review certification status:
Nebraska Public Library Board Certification Status
To submit CE activity:
Public
Library Board Report of CE Activity
To apply for certification or update board members:
Public Library
Board Certification and Board Member Updates
Continuing Education Activities for Boards
CE Activities
(online or in-person) |
CE Credits |
Notes |
Requirements |
Webinars
Workshops
Seminars
Lectures
Conferences |
- 20-44 minutes = 0.5
- 45-89 minutes = 1.0
|
|
- Submit CE Form
- List individual sessions for conferences and workshops
separately.
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|
Trustee Academy Courses |
|
- Please see below about login information.
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Short Takes for Trustees |
For each board member present during the meeting:
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"The Trustee Academy
is a series of online courses to help Trustees become exceptionally
proficient in their roles on behalf of their libraries. All of the online
courses are taught by a professional in the field."
To access the Trustee Academy courses, you'll first need to login to your
United for Libraries
statewide account.
The Nebraska Library Commission has prepaid for all Nebraska public
library directors, members of Friends organizations, Foundation
boards, and trustees to access educational resources offered by the
American Library Association's United for Libraries.
To request an
account, please submit a
United for
Libraries Login Request form. If you have any questions, please
contact
Holli Duggan.
Trustee Competencies
This course
covers the knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes of a
successful public library Trustee. The course is led by Kevin
Tomlinson, area field consultant with the Idaho Commission for
Libraries.
Working Effectively with the Library Director
This course
covers the role of the Board, the role of the library director, and
how to communicate effectively with each other. Learn about
strategic planning, board meetings, an emergency communication plan,
and how to create a sustainable and effective working relationship.
This course is led by Deirdre Brennan, Executive Director, of
Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS).
The Library's Budget for Trustees
This course
covers understanding where funding comes from, working with the
director to develop the budget, ensuring the budget is in alignment
with goals, making the case for the budget to funders, making
effective budget presentations, and monitoring the budget at monthly
meetings. This course is led by Marcellus Turner, City Librarian,
The Seattle Public Library.
Everyday Advocacy - Why the Library Matters!
This course
covers getting to know your funders and letting them know what the
library is doing and importantly – why it matters. Learn how to be a
powerful voice at budget time to ensure your library receives the
funding it needs. This course is led by Libby Post,
Strategist-in-Chief and President of
Communication Services.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion: What Library Trustees Need to Know
Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) impacts all communities and all
aspects of librarianship. Library Boards of Trustees have an important role
in supporting EDI and related initiatives. This workshop will help trustees
and library directors understand how to incorporate EDI into policy
development, strategic planning, funding initiatives, board development, and
more. Anne will present a variety of interactive scenarios in which EDI
issues are a factor, with time for Q&A and discussion. In this event, Anne
Phibbs, PhD, Founder and President of Strategic Diversity Initiatives, will
give a basic introduction to EDI and discuss what library trustees and
boards need to know about EDI.
Vendor Negotiaiton That Supports Patron Privacy and Intellectual
Freedom
Libraries are well versed in protecting intellectual freedom as it pertains
to books but many do not have similar policies for online resources and
services. Digital library collections are often provided by third-party
vendors, who may have different goals than libraries. This disconnect has
led to intellectual freedom issues, specifically regarding privacy, in
recent years. How much responsibility do vendors have for patron privacy?
How can libraries best negotiate with online vendors without infringing upon
patron privacy and other intellectual freedom issues? This panel has
representatives from both libraries and vendors to discuss this topic.
Short Takes for Trusteees is "a series of 10 short videos (8-10 minutes each)
that can be shown during Trustee meetings to stimulate discussion about the
important role that Trustees play in the governance of their libraries."
To access the Short Takes for Trustess videos, you'll first need to login to
your United for
Libraries statewide account.
The Nebraska Library Commission has prepaid for all Nebraska public
library directors, members of Friends organizations, Foundation
boards, and trustees to access educational resources offered by the
American Library Association's United for Libraries.
To request an
account, please submit a
United for
Libraries Login Request form. If you have any questions, please
contact
Holli Duggan.
These ten videos are intended for continuing education at board meetings. View the video and discuss the related Short Takes questions for
fifteen minutes.
- What It Means to Be a Trustee
- Board Meetings
- Board Ethics
- Library Advocacy
- Library Policies
- Strategic Planning
- Working with Friends
- Evaluating the Library Director
- Board Self Evaluation
- Succession Planning and New Board Orientation
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Pennsylvania Office of Commonwealth Libraries: “Getting On Board"
(0.5 CE credits each)
Wyoming State Library: “Trustee Trouble"
(0.5 CE credits each)
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Learning Opportunities and Resources from WebJunction
WebJunction provides a range of library-specific, online, and on-demand courses and webinars to help meet your continuing education needs. Whether you are looking to pick up a new skill, or to find inspiration for a new idea, these resources can help you take the first, or next step. With the support of the Nebraska Library Commission, all of the content, webinars and courses are free, and you’ll find topics ranging from customer service to organizational management to space planning. Join this session for a tour of WebJunction and to hear about these flexible and dynamic learning opportunities! (Kendra Morgan, 2023)
Advocates of All Ages: Recruiting and Retaining Younger Generations as
Trustees and Friends
Millennials are more likely than other adults
to have visited the library recently. However, many friends and trustees
boards do not have even a single member (Pew 2016, ALA 2018). What accounts
for this discrepancy between the demographics of our library users and
library civic leaders, and how do we rectify it? The presenters will argue
for the importance of developing generationally representative boards and
explore common barriers to service for those under 40. Participants will
leave with practical strategies for identifying and recruiting from the
Millennial and Gen-Z generations, and for adapting board cultures to engage
and retain them. (2019)
United for Libraries - Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations: The
Voice for America's Libraries
Beth Nawalinski, Executive Director of United for Libraries, the Association
of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations, a division of the
American Library Association, will be joined by 2019-2020 United for
Libraries President, Peter Pearson, found/senior consultant of Library
Strategies Consulting Group. Beth and Peter will share their ideas about
United for Libraries' mission and vision, and how Nebraska and its libraries
can benefit and fully use the resources available through this dynamic ALA
division. Learn about Nebraska's statewide membership, including online
trainings that are available free to all Nebraska public libraries. Hear
about United for Libraries' Baker and Taylor Award. Laura England-Biggs,
from Keene Memorial Library in Fremont, NE, will discuss the Friends of
Keene Memorial Library's Baker and Taylor Award-winning project. (2020)
Public Librarian and Library Board Certification: Improving Library Service
to Nebraska Communities
Do you have questions about the Nebraska Library Commission's Public
Librarian and Library Board Certification programs? We have the answers!
Holli Duggan, Continuing Education Coordinator, and Christa Porter, Library
Development Director, will discuss how these programs work, the benefit to
library staff and board members, and why they are important to your library.
Come learn all about how you can expand your library skills through
certification! (2021)
United for Libraries - Moving to a Bigger, Better Platform (2022)
ALA recently launched its new integrated learning management system (LMS),
ALA eLearning. While the old United for Libraries system has served us well,
the new LMS offers more streamlined access, integration with all ALA
training opportunities, and enhanced functionality. Join Beth Nawalinski,
Executive Director for United for Libraries, as she takes us through this
new system and all the updates.
Nebraska Public Library Laws: Chapter 51 and Beyond (2023)
While Nebraska public libraries are agencies of local government, the laws
that specifically deal with the formation and governance of those libraries
are state laws. Library directors and board members should be familiar with
library specific laws, as well as other statutes not specifically aimed at
libraries, but which may affect libraries. Attend this session to learn the
essentials of Nebraska State Statutes that affect Nebraska public libraries.
Presenters: Scott Childers, Executive Director, Southeast Library System &
Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission
Nebraska Open Meetings Act: An Overview and Update (2025)
Public library boards for communities of all sizes in Nebraska have to
follow our state's Open Meetings Act when holding their meetings. In this
session, we'll point out some of the major points of this state law for
library boards, changes for 2025, and some of the consequences of not following Open Meeting law. Note: This topic is very Nebraska specific.
Presenters: Scott Childers, Executive Director, Southeast Library System; Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission
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Below is just a small sample of the resources and webinars available through
United for Libraries.
To access the on-demand webinars, you'll first need to login to your
United for Libraries
statewide account.
The Nebraska Library Commission has prepaid for all Nebraska public
library directors, members of Friends organizations, Foundation
boards, and trustees to access educational resources offered by the
American Library Association's United for Libraries.
To request an
account, please submit a
United for
Libraries Login Request form. If you have any questions, please
contact
Holli Duggan.
Learning
Live Monthly Webinar Series
United for Libraries Learning Live sessions
take place on the second Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. (CST) / 12 p.m.
(MST). Each month's session will cover a hot topic of interest to Trustees,
Friends and/or Foundations, followed by Q&A and/or discussions.
United for Libraries Virtual Conference 2024
Recordings available from the United for
Libraries Virtual Conference 2024. Sessions include topics on intellectual
freedom and material challenges, policy management, diversity, fundraising,
and community needs assessments.
United for Libraries Virtual Conference 2025
The Nebraska Library Commission has purchased statewide registration! All library directors/staff, Trustees/board members, and Friends of the Library and Foundation representatives receive FREE live registration and/or on-demand viewing.
Registration includes live attendance and on-demand access to three full days of programming, expert speakers, microlearning sessions, and the “Virtual Gala Author Tea.” Programming runs from 10:00 am CST to approximately 3:00 pm CST daily with scheduled breaks. Registrants may participate in some or all program sessions live, and/or watch recordings on-demand.
For more information and registration, please click here.
Striking a Balance: Developing Systems for Successful and Sustainable Library Governance
This training series is intended to help libraries recruit, develop, and sustain strong library boards that will skillfully represent the library to stakeholder groups and steward the library’s strategic priorities to the benefit of all members of the community.
Every library is as unique as the community it serves, and the circumstances of your community will inform how you approach this work. Similarly, there is not a single path towards building and developing an effective library board. The virtual sessions and corresponding activities in this workbook are designed to stimulate constructive dialogue, share best practices, and provide ideas for action as you build strong leaders and advocates for your own library. (2025)
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Session 1: "In the Know: The Role of Library Boards in Building Strong Communities"
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Session 2: "Building for the Future: Succession Planning for Effective Leadership"
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Session 3: "Centering Community: Engaging Constructively with Local Government"
Challenges & Crises: Preparing Your Board of Trustees
What training and preparation does your
Board of Trustees need to be prepared for a crisis? Do your policies address
intellectual freedom issues? How do you handle it when a board member speaks
against a board decision? What happens when a board member's values clash
with a board decision? Learn how to be proactive in developing a
well-prepared board, and what best practices, policies, and procedures need
to be developed or revisited. (2021)
Teaching from the Manual While Flying the Plane: Helping Boards Navigate It All
Many board members (Trustees, Friends, and Foundation) come to libraries with a love for libraries and their community, but few know the work, and they therefore spend their first year or two learning the work on the job. Imagine having to learn this work along with the tenets and principles of librarianship while these same principles are being challenged by new legislative agendas and executive orders. Learn ways to help your boards get up to speed and maintain that learning edge as new executive orders impact this work and their effect on the staff and community. (2025)
Building a Stronger Relationship with Your Library Board
The library's director is undoubtedly the single most important key to its success. An excellent library director works well with the Trustees/library board, the staff, local government, and the community. Nothing will ruin a good board-director working relationship faster than a board micro-managing the director or a director who does not communicate clearly with the board providing them with all the information they need to make good decisions within their prescribed roles.
This session covers helping board members understand respective roles, including the difference between governance and management; onboarding, training, and succession planning; effective communication, and ways to engage the members. (2023)
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Webinars from the
Free Monthly Training list may be viewed at broadcast time, or most
of them are archived and available after the initial broadcast. Webinars are generally about an hour long.
*Discussion of webinars will not be accepted for additional CE credit.
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FAQ
How do I submit an activity or an event for CE credit?
Submit a CE Activity Report.
Please allow ten business days for credit to
be reflected on the online record. To review your library board's
record, go to Nebraska
Public Library Board Certification Status. Participation in any CE activity must be
reported within 90 days.
Not all activities are eligible for CE credit. If you aren't sure whether
an activity or event would qualify, please contact
Holli Duggan, in advance.
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How do I check the status of my library board?
To review your library board's record, check the
Nebraska Public
Library Board Certification Status page.
Click on your library's name for details on the library board's current CE hours.
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What counts as a continuing education activity?
Activities must meet the following guidelines:
- Organized and planned for the purpose of teaching, learning, or
discussion of topics directly related to the duties and responsibilities
of a library board member
- Sponsored by a reputable agency, organization, or institution
- At least twenty minutes long (exception for the "Short Takes for Trustees",
"Getting on Board" and "Trustee Trouble" videos)
- Activities may be in-person with the instructor/speaker, via
real-time remote means, or watched as a recorded webinar/video/podcast
Not all activities are eligible for CE credit. If you aren't sure whether
an activity or event would qualify, please contact
Holli Duggan, in advance.
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Discussion time for the "Short Takes for Trustees," "Getting on Board,"
and the "Trustee Trouble" videos is already included in the 0.5 CE hour for
each video.
Discussion of other webinars or events will not count for CE credit.
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What activities are not eligible for CE credit for Library Board Members?
- Staff, business, committee, planning, or advisory meetings
- "Secondhand" presentations - presenting or listening to
someone present on what they learned at a conference or training
- Social or networking events
- Book discussions, book club meetings, book fairs, or book studies
- Tours of other libraries or museums (including exhibits or special
displays, unless approved)
- Training and orientation of volunteers, new staff, or a new position
- Updating or reading current policies, internal manuals, documents,
emails, or guides
- Routine professional association activities
- Routine job-related activities
- General library programming, such as volunteering for storytimes,
teaching a community computer class, or supervising afterschool clubs
- General work-related training topics, such as stress reduction or
retirement planning
- Training topics not related to duties as a library board member
(such as classroom management or using Google)
- Partial completion of courses or webinars
- Training on regular library operations, procedures, or general
office equipment (including ILS training)
- Time spent traveling to or from an event
- Reviewing or discussing the Library Board Manual or Director's
Handbook
If you have questions as to whether or not something is eligible for CE
credit, please contact Holli Duggan or Mary Geibel.
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